Dry Cleaning
by purebristles
Summary: [Han Leia] Picking up the laundry was never this much fun. [Complete.]
1. The Pickup

**Standard Disclaimer: **These characters belong to G. Lucas. No copyright infringement is meant.  
**Dedication: **To the beautiful people on SWSB – especially **JediJade88, RedGold, The Good Twin, **and **Ginchy.  
Rating: PG-13/T  
Spoilers/Timeline: **After _The Corellian Trilogy_ but before "Vision of the Future". Set in the "Lightheaded" AU.  
**A/N: **Do read and review. I'm not sure if this can be read with much enlightenment if you haven't read _Lightheaded._ You could try, I guess. I'm not planning for this to be very long. Actually, I don't plan anything at all; fics just write themselves.

**Chapter 1: The Pickup**

_Couldn't they have delivered? What's the point of being Chief of State if you can't get things done?_ Han wasa little put-off by his errand.

/We could always send the golden one./ Chewy growled.

"He's off to maintenance today, upgrading his _six million languages_," Han mimicked Threepio's prissy voice perfectly. "And he'd have to walk the whole way back home holding the clothes. Probably get robbed of them, the useless thing."

Han frowned and sulked a little. _I'm not just a glorified baby-sitter and househusband._ Deciding to take a light-hearted approach, he sighed and gave a rueful grin to Chewy.

"Why don't you go get that part for your bow? I can go do all this…_stuff_." Han sniffed distastefully, and gestured at the errand list that Leia had drawn up on a data pad.

/Remember what I told you when you decided on your mate./ Chewy turned to regard his friend. /You would not listen to my advice./ His eyes twinkled with laughter.

"Yeah, well. She's a very persuasive lady." Han took the speeder to a different skyline, making for the mechanics district.

/My friend, from what I know, there was no need for persuasion on her part./ Chewy urf-urfed a little.

Han shifted in his seat, a lazy smile on his face. _You've got me there, pal._

"Where's that shop of yours?"

/Over there./ Chewy moved and caught hold of the speeder's controls. /Come on, you're taking it very slowly./

"Hey, I've got kids now, you know."

Chewy grunted and stopped the speeder in designated landing zone.

"You want me to wait for you?"

Chewy turned to regard his young charge. /Can you wait here without getting into trouble? I would not have my debt to you violated because of a bowcaster tension-setter./

Han leaned back in his chair and placed his feet on the control panel, hand behind his head. "Relax, you big fuzzball. It's me. What could possibly go wrong?"

Chewy looked doubtful at Han's pronouncement. /I will be back as quickly as I can./ He opened the speeder door and stepped out.

"I'll be here." Han waited until Chewy entered one of the mechanic shops before sitting up again.

_Leia, what on earth are the other servants and droids for, if not to do all this stuff?_ He picked up the datapad. _Look, school supplies for the children, milk, dry-cleaning… I'm a General! I'll bet you Bel Iblis never had to do anything like this._

He turned to the holovid screen in the speeder. _I'll take care of some of these things now._ He keyed in his holonet access codes, and called Winter.

"General Solo. Han. What can I do for you?" Winter did not look surprised at his calling, but he caught her gaze flicker off-screen just a little before returning to the camera.

"Ah, hello Winter. I was hoping that you could help me with a couple of things I need for the children. I don't know where to get them." Playing the hapless parent figure. "Leia left me a list of things, and I don't know where to get them." He rattled off the items on Leia's list. _Come on, Winter, take the bait. You love the children._

Someone passed Winter a note from off-screen. The slight frown that had formed on Winter's face when he had called disappeared, and she smiled at him. "Of course, Han. Those are simple items; I'll requisition them for you and have them delivered. Is there anything else?"

Pretending to be more relieved than he really was, he smiled and nodded his head in thanks. "No, thank you Winter. I was really at my wit's end here."

Winter's eyes were full of amusement at his statement. "Han Solo, at his wit's end? I think many would pay good money to see that."

Grinning ruefully at her, he made a face. "Don't tell anyone that the great Han Solo was felled by children's school supplies, okay?"

She gave a small laugh. "Goodbye, Han." And closed the connection.

_Great. One down, two to go._

He took out his comlink and commed Chewy.

/What is it?./ Chewy growled.

"Get milk."

/Han clan Solo, while I am under a life debt to you, I am not your own personal slave. Get out of the speeder and get it yourself./ Chewy's comlink clicked off.

Han tried to contact Chewy's comlink three more times before giving up.

_Stupid lump must have blocked me_, he thought as he got out of the speeder. Walking to the shops, he passed by Chewy's mechanic shop and eyeballed Chewy's figure.

_Some life debt._

Locating the sundries shop, he walked in and bought the milk. _Four cartons, Leia. I hope that's enough for you, the kids, the lump, your Noghri pals, Luke, General Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma, Borsk Fey'lya, Thrawn, and whoever you decide to have over for dinner tonight._

Walking back out into the streets, he saw Chewy waiting for him outside the mechanic shop. He grunted when he saw Han.

/So much?./

Han gave him a dirty look, and Chewy decided not to press the matter. They got into the speeder.

/Where to now?./

A note of annoyance in his voice, Han answered, "Dry cleaning."

/Alright./

-----

"I cannot believe this! Six garments?" Han had keyed in the collection code at the fully-automated cleaning pick-up station. "Four dresses and two suits?"

/I believe one of them is yours./ Chewy said as he held up a military-styled uniform.

"I didn't even wear that!"

/Perhaps there is an event coming up./ Chewy shook the uniform impatiently. /Let us go; we have to fetch your young cubs./

"And this is Luke's! She even has me picking up after Luke!" Han suddenly stopped, and took a closer look at the hangar.

_Oh my._

Chewy was looking closely at Han.

/What is it?./

Han was grinning ear-to-ear. The cleaners never made mistakes, so this had to have been with the original garment when it first arrived to be cleaned.

He gestured towards something on the hanger.

"It's nothing. Nothing much."

Chewy looked at the garment. And started urfing in laughter.

_A thong. A very small thong._ Han shook his head in amazement.

/I was wondering when that would happen./

"Any idea whose it is?"

/Mara Jade, of course./

"Mara?" Han was surprised at Chewy's pronouncement. "They hate each other!"

Chewy just grinned, fangs exposed to the world. /That's what they think, but that's not how they smell./

Han's eyebrows shot up at that.

"That's not how they _smell_?"

Chewy sniffed a little, looking disdainful. /And you call yourselves highly-developed lifeforms. Primates./

Han shook his head. "This is a little too much for me to process right now." He gathered up the garments and headed for the speeder, Chewy laughing softly all the way behind him.


	2. The Fallout

**Standard Disclaimer: **These characters belong to G. Lucas. No copyright infringement is meant.  
**Dedication: **To the beautiful people on SWSB – especially **JediJade88, RedGold, The Good Twin, **and **Ginchy.  
Rating: PG-13/T  
Spoilers/Timeline: **After _The Corellian Trilogy_ but before "Vision of the Future". Set in the "Lightheaded" AU.  
**A/N: **Do read and review. I'm not sure if this can be read with much enlightenment if you haven't read _Lightheaded._ You could try, I guess. I'm not planning for this to be very long. Actually, I don't plan anything at all; fics just write themselves.

**Chapter 2: The Fallout**

_Luke and Mara Jade. Well, well._ Han couldn't believe that his original instincts about the two were correct. _I called it, didn't I, kid? She took that hit over the Katana fleet and you looked like you lost your best friend._

Han was sitting in the study, absently playing with the thong as he contemplated this new development in his brother-in-law's life. Chewy had laughed at him all the way home, and Han had sent him off to fetch the children because he got so annoyed at Chewy's attitude.

"I called it first, stupid lump," he muttered under his breath. Chewy had been in such a good mood that he had left without protest.

_But I never thought it would go anywhere. They've been dancing around each other for so long that I don't even think they notice each other anymore. I wonder what changed?_

On impulse, he turned on the holonet and logged on to his account. _I don't think I'll get a better chance at this. I only wish I could see your face when you get this._

He turned on the holovid recorder, holding up the thong to the camera. Turning it on, he gave the thong a little twirl before pulling it away, and grinning hugely into the camera.

"Well, well. Well, well." He leaned forward. "I'm so proud of you, kid." _Never thought you had it in you._ "You gonna tell me who she is, or do I have to guess? Although Leia did tell me that you and Jade spent the night together when you were here last, and that's good enough for me."

He grinned into the camera. "I tell you kid, I have never been so entertained by dry-cleaning before. She sent one of your new Jedi robes out to clean, and I had to get them. And imagine my surprise when I found this slung over the hanger." He held up the thong to the camera again. _Oh, what I would give to see your face when you see this._ "However, I'm sorry to inform you that this little thing is as clean as the droids could probably get it." _Kind of kinky, kid, to be keeping this, isn't it?_

He leaned forward again into the camera. "The question that I have for you now, kid, is whether you want to return the panties, or should I?" He winked salaciously into the camera, and stopped the recording.

He sent the message to Luke's account, and was about to log off the holonet when he noticed that there was another new record of sent transmissions. _Leia must have used my account for something._ Glancing at the chrono, he decided to take a look. _Have time to kill before the kids get back anyway._

He selected the message, which played a holotube recording of Luke and Mara on the sludgenews channel. The grin reappeared on Han's face. _Kid, you have no idea how proud I am of you._

Logging off his account, he walked to the living room and flopped on the couch, picking up the news flimsy. His gaze fell on the family holo which was hanging over the fake fireplace.

"You should smile larger than that if you've been messing about with that fox, you lucky son of a Sith," he muttered under his breath. Realising that he still held onto the thong in his hand, he stretched it a little and catapulted it into the family holo, aiming for Luke's head. He hit the target, but the thong fell into the deep recesses of the fake fireplace.

Han was in the middle of trying to get the thong out of the back of the fake fireplace when Chewy arrived home with the children. _Ahh, it'll keep there for a while. No one will look there anyway; I'll get it later when they're asleep._

Trying to get the children to take their baths after that took up all his attention, and the thong quietly slipped his mind.

-----

"Han?"

"Mama!" Anakin managed to splash more water over Han as he called for his mother. Han sighed and slumped against the 'fresher wall.

Leia appeared and swept into the 'fresher. Bending over, she picked Anakin up from his bath and carried him, mindless of the water that dripped off him.

"Hello darling, how was your day?" Kissing his head, she turned to Han. "Was he done and just playing with water again?"

Han shook his head. "No, we just got started. No cleansers yet."

"Don't want!"

"Hush, darling." She looked down at the bundle in her hands. "You need to get clean, or there'll be no stories tonight."

"Don't want!"

"Well…" Leia pretended to think. "Then I suppose you'll have to live without knowing how Uncle Luke saved Jaya and Jasa on Wayland then…"

Even though Anakin had heard the story many times, this was threat enough for him to reconsider his feelings towards cleansers. Leia smiled at his contrite pout, and handed him back to Han.

"Here. I'll get changed and get dinner ready." And she walked out of the 'fresher.

_I'm a General, Princess._ Turning back to Anakin, he handed his son the cleanser. "Okay son, show me what you can do."

Anakin grabbed the cleanser from him and upended the entire bottle onto his chest.

-----

By the time Han had gotten Anakin cleaned up, dinner was indeed ready. Or rather, dinner had arrived, and Leia had taken the food out of their boxes and onto real cutlery.

He walked over to her and hugged her from behind as she stood setting the table. "What's the meal this time, highnessness?"

She leaned back into his arms. Taking a deep breath of her day-old perfume, and the scent that made her who she was, he revelled in the feeling. _Home. This is home._

She pushed him back gently with her backside. "It's Corellian tonight. Help me set the table."

He gamely took the cutlery from her. "Shouldn't we be training our little slaves to do this?" Giving his chin a sharp jerk towards the children's quarters.

She frowned at him. "Han!"

"What?"

"Don't be silly." She dismissed his joke with a wave of her hand, and continued setting out the cups.

"Oh, by the way, did you manage to get Jacen's colour stylos? He's in the middle of drawing an X-Wing, and I think he's run out of grey."

"Oh, uh…" Han thought quickly. "I ordered them, and they're on their way. You know how long deliveries sometimes take." _Good save, Solo._

"Oh. Okay." Leia was regarding her handiwork. "So, Winter caught up with me on the way home," she said casually, walking towards the kitchen unit.

"Uh huh." Cautiously, Han looked at her. _Jedi mind-reading would come in really useful right about now._

Leia removed a pitcher of water from the refrigeration unit. "She was asking me about how the children were. Naturally, I told her that they were fine." She returned to the table and put the pitcher at the centre of the table.

"Uh huh." _Where are you going with this, sweetheart?_

"And she told me to give you this." Reaching down into a bag on the chair, she tossed a case of colour stylos at him, which he caught neatly against his chest.

_Busted._

"Uh, yeah, did they get the delivery location mixed up?" _Nice try, Solo, but I think you're in for it now._

"Han! I was there when you commed her!" _Ooh. Looks like I'm really in trouble._

Leia continued. "How could you? You know she's busy!"

A little annoyed, he sharpened his tone. "And you think I'm not?"

"What do you have to be busy with? You're currently not on assignment!"

"That doesn't mean that I don't have things to do!"

"So what are you busy with?"

"Things!" He threw up his hands and stalked to the living room. "I am not your errand-boy when I'm not on assignment!" He spied Chewy walk out of his room, look at the scene, turn around, and walk right back in again. Closing the door.

_Yeah, you and me both, pal._

She followed him into the living room. "I don't treat you like an errand boy!"

"Milk! Dry cleaning! School supplies! What do you call those?"

"I thought you wanted to get involved with family affairs!"

"Not like this!"

"Then how?"

"I don't know! Other stuff!"

Leia was silent. "I didn't know you felt this way, Han," she said softly. He turned to look at her, staring at the floor. "I thought… I thought…"

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Princess."

"I'm sorry too, Han. I really didn't know…"

"I should have said something sooner."

"You should have. I can't read minds, you know."

"Well," he kissed her cheek. "Actually, you can. But I guess mine's off-limits." He tapped the side of his head.

She was still looking a little upset at their argument. "I'm really, really sorry, Han. I didn't know you felt this way."

He grinned, a lopsided grin at her. "Actually, I don't mind doing the errands, and I like doing things for the family." His grin faded a little. "It's just today… I don't know. You could have sent out for some of those things, instead of getting me to get them. Like the milk, for example."

She smiled wryly. "I suppose so. I'm sorry dear," she said, pulling him down to her by the collar and kissing him lightly on the lips. "But I'll make it up to you later," she breathed into his ear.

_I'll bet._

She pushed him away and called out in a normal voice: "Dinner!"

He caught her arm, and they walked to the table hand-in-hand.


	3. The Discovery

**Standard Disclaimer: **These characters belong to G. Lucas. No copyright infringement is meant.  
**Dedication: **To the beautiful people on SWSB – especially **JediJade88, RedGold, The Good Twin, **and **Ginchy.  
Rating: PG-13/T  
Spoilers/Timeline: **After _The Corellian Trilogy_ but before "Vision of the Future". Set in the "Lightheaded" AU.  
**A/N: **Do read and review. I'm not sure if this can be read with much enlightenment if you haven't read _Lightheaded._ You could try, I guess. I'm not planning for this to be very long. Actually, I don't plan anything at all; fics just write themselves.

**Chapter 3: The Discovery**

"Did you send that holotube recording to Luke?" Unwinding with some wine over dinner, the children were in their rooms playing while Han and Leia spent some time together. Chewy was out, opting to have his dinner raw somewhere else.

"Yes, I thought he should know about the sludgenews on him. There was another report the other day, about him and a brunette which had him all worked up." Leia stood up and started moving the plates to the recycler. Han stood up to help her.

"Oh really?" He hoped he sounded casual. "Did they say who it was?"

"No idea, but he met up with that law underclassman to sort it out. I don't think they got very far though, Mara Jade joined them midway in the discussion. Which reminds me, Luke gave me a package for you the other day." She walked over to the fake fireplace and picked up a package on the mantle.

"I think you'll like it."

Han took the package from her and opened it. And started guffawing in laughter.

"Have the kids seen this?"

"Not yet." Leia grinned as she took another sip from her wine glass.

He held up the holostills, his shoulders still shaking with laughter. "Who took these? Luke's in most of these shots, so it's not him. Was it one of the Noghri?" His eyebrows lifted at his own suggestion and he turned to Leia.

"No, Mara Jade did."

"She what?" His eyebrows lifted higher.

"Mara Jade took the pictures. Seems like they ran into each other at the carnival." Leia shrugged. "She took the pictures."

"Hmm." Han regarded the pictures and grinned at one depicting Jacen in the middle of turning green. _I'm gonna put these up in their room, just for fun,_ he thought.

"Funny how she's getting more involved in our lives," he remarked to Leia. "Wayland, then the setting up of the Academy, then Corellia, and now with the holostills…" He drained his glass.

"Well, we work with that smuggler's coalition, and she is the liaison officer for that group, plus she's almost a Jedi, and Luke's good friend." Leia turned to the family holo and smiled at her brother's countenance. "Don't forget that she's saved our lives many times, and kept our children safe too," she chided gently. "I'm not going to begrudge her a few holostills." She plucked one of the holos from Han's hands and sniffed. "Even if they look rather unbecoming."

"The kids will love them," Han said, returning the pictures into their package and placing the package back on the mantle. He wrapped his arms around Leia, her back towards him, and they stood and swayed a little to unheard music, gazing at the family holo.

"We've got a beautiful family, highnessness," he whispered against her hair. "Have I ever told you how lucky you are to have me?"

He felt her whuff of laughter. "Nerf. I love you."

"I know."

And they stood there for a while longer, just rocking to that imaginary beat.

Suddenly, Han felt her stiffen and pull out of his arms. She bent forward and looked closely into the fake fireplace.

"Han Solo!" Reaching in, she drew out the thong. "Whose underwear is this?" Her eyes narrowed, and her voice became very quiet.

"Han?"

_Luke, I love you like a brother, but there is no way I'm taking the fallout for this. You faced Vader; I'm sure you can handle your sister._

He held out his hands in front of him. "Woah, woah, princess. That's not mine, that's Luke's!"

"Luke's?" Leia frowned, bewildered. "I really don't think it's…"

"No, I mean, it's Luke's, but it's not his!" _Great going, Solo. Put your foot in it_.

"If it's not his, then… oh!" Leia's eyes widened in understanding. "But whose is it? And what is it doing here? Don't tell me Luke was…" Leia's eyes opened even bigger, and she dropped the thong. "Was he… doing… I mean… here?"

Han had to laugh a little at her consternation.

"I don't think Luke would do that to you, sweetheart. No, I found that in the dry cleaning."

"What dry cleaning?"

"The dry cleaning that you had me pick up today," Han said pointedly. "It was slung over Luke's new Jedi robes, the ones that you just had made."

Leia frowned and chewed on a nail. "But they never make mistakes."

"Precisely."

"I went through eight dry cleaners before I found one which wouldn't lose garments along the way."

"Yep."

"Which means it came with the dirty ones that I sent in."

"Right." Han was wondering how many ways there were to say "yes" without really saying the word.

"And Luke only wore that once… oh." Leia's eyes opened wide in astonishment. "Mara."

Han smiled smugly. "Mara."

"Mara."

"Mara."

"Mama, are you okay?" Anakin had appeared in the middle of Leia's shock. "You feel funny." He touched his head and rubbed his left temple.

She turned to him and held out her hands. "Yes, darling, I'm fine." As Anakin walked toward her, she hissed to Han: "Han! Pick it up!" Han bent over and stuffed the thong into his pocket. _Mara Jade would have my head on a platter if she knew, _Han thought.

"Can you tell me the story now?"

"But it isn't even bedtime yet!" Leia was surprised, looking over at Han.

"But I'm sleepy," Anakin said, rubbing his eyes and giving a fake yawn. Leia tried not to smile as she saw through his tactics at getting his story early.

"Why don't you go get ready for bed, and I'll come by when you're ready?" She pushed him towards his room, and he trotted off obediently.

"Maybe that bath took more out of him than I thought," Han said. Leia turned back to him.

"What are we going to do about Luke?"

Surprised, Han looked over at her. "What do you mean, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know, this thing with Mara…"

Han smiled incredulously at his wife. "Sweetheart, we can't do anything! It's his life!"

"Yes, but…"

"But nothing. What happened to not begrudging Jade a few liberties?"

"But… Luke's my brother!" Leia walked over to the sofa and sat down, and Han followed her. He stayed silent, somehow feeling that Leia had to work this out on her own. She leaned back into the couch.

"I mean, they work well together… but she wanted to kill him… and then with Corellia… but he's never… and then Callista…" Han listened to her mumbling with amusement.

Finally, she sighed, and sat up. "You're right. This is none of my business. I just wish…"

Curling her hair behind her ears, he asked, "Wish what, sweetheart?"

"I just wish he choose someone less…"

"Less…?" he prompted.

"Less… oh, I don't know! Less Mara!" Leia was exasperated at her inability to form a coherent sentence.

Chewy chose this moment to arrive back in the apartment.

/Good evening, princess./ Chewy had never gotten out of the habit of calling Leia "Princess", and Leia had given up reminding him.

"Chewy! What do you think of Luke and Mara?" Chewy looked over to Han in askance, but Han just shrugged. _Just say whatever you think, pal._

/I think they are both good people./

"No, I mean together! As mates!"

/Ah./ Chewy looked at Han. /This must be about the undergarment we found, is it not?./ Han made a gun with his fingers and pretended to shoot it. _Bulls-eye, pal._

/They are good together./

"And?"

Chewy cocked his head at Leia's prodding.

/How would you wish me to answer?./

"With the truth."

Chewy regarded this for a moment.

/You have asked an interesting question. They are good together. The pairing is perfectly matched, and if I am not mistaken, it will be a life bond./

"Life bond!" Two voices said this in unison. Chewy looked amused.

/You asked for truth./

"Yeah, pal, but I think that was more truth than Leia could take." Han rubbed Leia's back soothingly. "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Leia looked a little lost, and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm fine. Looks like I'm just gonna have to get used to this. Thanks, Chewy."

/My pleasure, princess./ He moved towards his room and shut the door.

Leia looked over at Han ruefully. "I wonder when they started." Han shrugged. "You could ask him…?" Leia's eyes opened wide at the suggestion, then narrowed thoughtfully.

"You know, that might actually be an idea…"

Anakin wandered into the living room in his nightclothes, looking for his bedtime story, and there was no time for Han to ask her what she meant by that.


	4. The Nightmare

**Standard Disclaimer: **These characters belong to G. Lucas. No copyright infringement is meant.  
**Dedication: **To the beautiful people on SWSB – especially **JediJade88, RedGold, The Good Twin, **and **Ginchy.  
Rating: PG-13/T  
Spoilers/Timeline: **After _The Corellian Trilogy_ but before "Vision of the Future". Set in the "Lightheaded" AU.  
**A/N: **Do read and review. I'm not sure if this can be read with much enlightenment if you haven't read _Lightheaded._ You could try, I guess. I'm not planning for this to be very long. Actually, I don't plan anything at all; fics just write themselves.

**Chapter 4: The Nightmare**

Han watched as Leia tucked Anakin in. _He really must have been tired from that wrestling with the cleaner_, Han thought, shaking his head and smiling at his youngest son. _I've never seen him quite so pliant before. Makes for a refreshing change._

Leia looked over at him and smiled. Smoothing the covers one last time, she left and closed the door quietly behind her.

"Lots of activity up there, what are you thinking about?" she asked, smoothing his hair down.

"Nothing much. Just how easy it was to get him to sleep tonight. And half an hour before his bedtime!" Han shook his head, amazed. Leia just smiled. She walked over to the study, and accessed the holonet.

"You're not doing what I think you're doing, are you?" He walked to her and looked over her shoulder. "Yes, you're doing what I think you're doing, and I don't think it's a good idea."

"Good thing I can think for myself, nerf."

"What are you going to say to him?"

"I'll think of it as I go along."

"Thinking on the fly is my speciality."

Leia just grunted in reply, then turned back to the screen as the connection to Yavin stabilised.

"Bantha droppings… I think that we're going to get bad picture transmission from this connection." True to Leia's words, the connection to Yavin was successful, but the picture flickered in and out sporadically, with long periods of blackness between flickers.

"Kam?"

"This is Yavin IV, Knight Tionne speaking for the Jedi Academy."

"Tionne! Is Luke around?"

"Please transmit your identification code… oh!" Tionne's slightly bored voice took on a more alert tone as Leia's credentials were relayed. "Senator, I apologise… Master Skywalker is currently in his quarters."

"Could you patch us through please? I have Han with me."

Tionne paused, and through the blackness of the screen, Han wondered if the connection had been dropped.

"Master Skywalker left instructions that he was not to be disturbed."

"Did he say why?"

"No, this is merely the message Kam left on the comnet channel when I tried to patch your call through. Let me try again." Leia looked at Han, who shrugged. "Maybe he's meditating or something. Or sleeping."

"Han! It's not even nine!"

"Leia?" Luke's voice came through the speakers, a little scratchy.

"Luke!" Leia sat forward in her seat. "Luke, are you there?"

"No, this is just my holocron speaking. Of course I'm here," Luke said drily.

"Are you seeing Mara Jade?" For one microsecond, the picture connection between Yavin and Coruscant stabilized, and Han and Leia saw the taken aback expression on Luke's face.

"Han!" Leia hissed in an undertone. "He doesn't have a shirt on!"

"Why do you ask?" Luke's voice came coolly over the holonet.

"Sweetheart, he's in his quarters, and he asked not to be disturbed. His hair's a mess, so you possibly just woke him up," Han replied quickly. To Luke, he said, "Ah… Leia found that piece of clothing you left behind on your last trip here."

Luke was silent. After a while, he said in a strangled voice, "I see."

"Luke, all I want to know is – "

"I'm getting married."

Han felt Leia stiffen – in shock or in disapproval, he couldn't tell. He leaned forward towards the microphone. "Uh, kid, you wanna run that by us again?"

In that same uptight voice, Luke's reply crackled over the speaker. "I'm getting married."

Leia awoke from her shock. "To Mara Jade."

"Yes."

"When."

"No… uh… no idea."

"Luke? Are you alright?"

"Uh… yes, I'm alright. It's fine. We're fine. I mean, I'm getting married. Soon. Could you… uh… could you see to… the… preparations and protocol?"

"I hardly think – "

"Look, we're getting married, and we'll get you details once we know. We're busy." And with a click, Jade severed the connection. But not before the flicker of an image imprinted themselves onto Han and Leia's retinas.

Wide-eyed, Leia turned to Han. "Was that… were they… in the middle… while talking to us?"

Han had an impressed and surprised look on his face. _Well, well, kid. Well done._ "It looks like they really are fine and busy with things."

"She was sitting on his lap!"

"And he was enjoying it!"

"But… but… " Leia was having difficulty finding the words, which was a wholly new experience for Han to watch. He rubbed her back again to soothe her.

"It's his life, sweetheart. He's never meddled with us before."

"Yes… but… but… he's my brother!" Scandalised, Leia leaned forward in her chair, and put her head in her hands.

In lieu of something useful to say, Han went back to rubbing her back and making soothing noises. Through her hands, he thought he heard her say something.

"What's that, sweetheart?"

Leia pulled her hands away from her face and looked at him.

"I said, this is going to be a diplomatic nightmare. And I'm going to need therapy."

_fin_

_-----_

_A/N: Thanks for reading again! 'Lightheaded' just didn't want to end, and this sort-of-sequel just begged to be written. Remember: feed the monster, and the monster will feed you! (Read: click that button, y'all.)  
_


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